Sheriff: Granddaughter stole $200,000 from grandmother, 98

Cook County sheriff

Booking photo of Jennifer Curtis

Booking photo of Jennifer Curtis (Cook County sheriff)

Rosemary R. SobolTribune reporter

A 43-year-old Palatine woman is accused of stealing more than $200,000 from her 98-year-old grandmother and hiding financial statements so the elderly woman would not see withdrawals, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.

Jennifer Curtis, 43, of the 300 block of Tanglewood Avenue, wrote checks, made electronic payments, and forged wire transfers from her grandmother’s financial accounts to pay for her own credit cards, loans, vacations and personal use, according to a sheriff’s release.

Curtis, who was her grandmother’s power of attorney from October 2005 to July 2011, would intercept bank and credit card statements from her grandmother’s Indian Head Park residence so she would not see the withdrawals, according to the release.

The statements showed charges for trips to the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica and cities all over the United States, in addition to charges for restaurants, apparel, food, gas and car payments, according to the release.

After becoming suspicious of the victim’s finances, family members changed the power of attorney to a niece of the victim and contacted law enforcement. The total amount of loss is more than $200,000.

Curtis was taken into custody Wednesday without incident and charged with forgery and senior financial exploitation, both felonies. A judge set her bail at $100,000 and her next court hearing is Oct. 29 at the Bridgeview Courthouse, according to the release.